I tried using different fonts to make the story look a little cleaner. For some reason however you'll only see the changes by downloading the chapter. Enjoy and please comment ^^

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Unsettling news


The next morning, Growlmon wasted no time in starting up the elevator for RD to go back above ground "Come back here after today's matches, If you win we'll have a couple days to prepare you for the more difficult challenges in the coming finals."

RD nodded, the next match weighing on his mind but he was also happy that he was getting the opportunity to put some of his powers to use, he had no idea how to fight at an advanced level with them. If he could he'd be able to fight on an even par with most of the champions and even maybe some of the ultimates "Thanks" RD said getting on the elevator "Can you view the matches from where you're at?"

Growlmon nodded, starting up the sequence for RD to climb back up to the surface "We don't have televisions in the digital world, but we do have a varient of it. So I'll be able to see the matches from a unique perspective."

RD chuckled as he heard this, he wondered what kind of perspective the growlmon would get from the matches as the elevator sequence started and he waved goodbye

Growlmon snickered, giving a small wave right back before RD dissapeared. Flare was snoozing by one of the rocks, but yelped when he felt a small tremor followed by RD coming out of the ground, the same rock he'd gone down with joining him "Woah! Where were you all night?" He asked, yawning.

"Some sort of secret compartment underneath the formation, a growlmon was there who agreed to train me, just one thing though, that place was supposed to be used by the winners of the tourney so yeah I think I did something against the rules there" RD said sweatdropping

Flare sweatdropped, before laughing "Well I won't tell if you won't. I think we should start heading back into the arena for our matches. I'm sure Max and the others are wondering where we've been all night."

RD nodded "Yeah, I kinda got stuck at first when I came in, and the growlmon was surprised" RD digivolved to coredramon "I'm going to ask smithy for a phone option to the digivice, I could've cleared up the confusion if we called people!" RD said pulling his digivice out and began growling.

Flare snickered a bit, climbing onto RD's back "In his defense...I don't think they've ever heard of a cell phone in this world. But it couldn't hurt to ask. Maybe he'll be at the arena watching."

"They may not have phones but i'm sure they have some sort of alternative....they have alternatives to tvs...." RD said recalling what growlmon said a minute ago.

Flare nodded "Hmmm that's true...there was a screen like hologram in the hotel room so there's that. In any case I think it's only a short flight to the arena."

RD nodded taking off and taking out his digivice "Glad this thing has a gps or else i'd get lost" RD said nodding as he looked at the digivice

"Well he was wise enough to give us that. And a Digimon encyclopedia, so he at least was thinking about the essentials." Flare commented

RD nodded thinking about this as they finally made their way to the arena "Ok we're back finally, heh hopefully we're not late"

Flare nodded, climbing off of RD's back "We shouldn't be..." When he stepped into their room he saw both Fang and Coronamon but Max wasn't anywhere to be found. "Where's Max? Is his match starting?"

Fang looked shocked, giving Flare a confused and concerned stare "Wait Max didn't meet up with you guys last night?"

RD looked alarmed and looked at Flare then shook his head "We thought he was with you!"

Fang shook his head "Afraid not. We haven't seen him since he took you to digivolve."

The next thing they knew, Max was stepping through the door with a Dorumon keeping him balanced "Oh...hey guys."

RD eyes widened, worried "Max, your match is coming up and you look like you're KOed before you even step into the ring! What happened?!?" RD exclaimed in confusion

Max sighed, motioning for Doru to sit him down on the bed "If you want me to get specific, I got jumped by Myotismon in the middle of training."

RD's eyes widened "Ugh so he was cheating then? I wouldn't put it past the guy but that's practically interference!" RD growled in rage "Though thankfully it looks like he just knocked you for a loop and didn't kill you"

Max nodded, taking a deep breath "He didn't want me to compete, or improve. I was having a hard time getting that light gun working with my pyro sphere. I did get the light to work in my own way though let's just leave it at that. I learned how to use it to really power up my rock breaker attack. Heck you should see the site of the fight, I left a pretty big crater in the ground."

RD smiled wide. "That's excellent, hrmm so using the light is unique to each individual....maybe that's where i'm going wrong." RD began muttering to himself and then his eyes lit up as he seemed to have an amazing idea.

Max nodded, smiling "It's unique. Heck Leo had to keep drilling it into my head. The key to using the light is to detatch yourself from your emotions, at least at first as you said. But trying to repeat someone elses patterns only gets you so far. In any case, I think we should turn on the holo screen to see if any of us is in the first round. Hopefully with my luck I'll be last for the day."

RD nodded as he turned on the holo to start up the days fights only for Max to laugh as Etamon appeared on the 'screen' "Goooood morning ladies and gentlemon! Yesturday's matches were spectaaaaacular! Here's hoping today's are just as mind blowing, Just like yesturday we'll start off with the Dracomon that started the tournament off by snatching Echo's microphone! And he'll be going up against a local of Starlight, Garurumon!" Etemon smirked, snapping his fingers as both RD and Garurumon's image appeared on the holo screen.

Max simply shook his head, looking at the pairings and trying to ignore Etemon's ranting. "Etemon's obnoxious..."

"He's supposed to be an elvis Presley knockoff, they have those all over the place in Las Vegas or so I heard" RD chuckled "The real Elvis wasn't nearly that annoying, not even remotely. Looks like I got a match right off the bat" RD shrugged "I'm going to head into the ring. Max's success has given me an idea of how I might win this fight." RD said smiling as he left the room

Max nodded, lifting his paws in the air "You better win RD! No pressure!"

Garurumon was standing right next to RD as they were stepping into the arena "You digivolved? Good, I'm glad that we can fight champion to champion!"

"Yeah let's make sure we give the audience a good fight, I'm trying to train up because there's a real bruiser in this tourney so don't hold back!" RD said with a smirk

Garurumon nodded, smiling "I wouldn't have held back on you even if you were a rookie, let's give em a show." With that, Garurumon sprinted into position on the arena.

Etemon staring at RD with a grin "Oh well there's a surprising plot twist people! Looks like our little Dracomon has evolved into a Coredramon, this should be fun!"

RD nodded punching his claws together, he made a mental note as to how he wanted to do this, though he admitted, this might be insanely brutal.

Garurumon smirked, opening his jaws to start things off big, blue flames bursting forth from his mouth "Howling blaster!!"

Suddenly RD jumped, the feedback from putting the light into his legs causing a shockwave that pushed garurumon a little bit back "Alright it worked..." RD muttered this time using his blue flame breath to attack garurumon

Garurumon blinked, being knocked back a bit by the shockwave of RD's leap, he looked baffled at first, then started countering RD's own flame breath attack with his own. The clash of blues made the battle seem elegant and mesmerizing for the viewers

RD loved it then he started charging through the flames and then he set up what looked like a wall made of light and shoved it right at the garurumon, the wall also had the strange ability to let RD's flames through but not garurumon's causing the garurumon to be roasted!

The whole crowd was silent for a moment, watching the wall of light expand upon touching the Garurumon, RD's flames breaching through the light while Garurumon's were trapped inside, leaving the wolf digimon to be roasted rather thoroughly by his opponant

RD then clicked his claws and the walls went off like bombs! Garurumon was launched into the air and RD calmly went underneath the hapless wolf and opened his maw wide and pointed his head up in the air.....just in time to catch garurumon in it and swallow him whole, RD's belly bouncing off the arena floor as garurumon landed in it "Oof well, nice meal heehee"

Etemon stared in dumbfounded awe, watching RD's stomach bounce against the floor then rest with a slight hanging from the new weight within before shaking his head "That match was smoking! Ending with a nice and deliciously smelling Barbeque I think we have our winner here!"

"Yeah I like swallowing my opponents whole whether they be raw or roasted" RD said ending with a thunderous belch that he was pretty sure shook the arena as he left waving to the audience

Etemon grabbed ahold of his podium and snickered "Well...We have contestants with a hearty appetite folks!" Max laughed in the room, he walked out with Dorumon's aid to go congradulate RD "That was a quick match! Is it strange that I'm kind of envious of that Garurumon?" Max joked, smiling.

RD smacked his belly "I don't think garurumon was expecting that, as you said yourself the light works differently for everyone, mine seems to work best at shielding and amplifying my own abilities." RD said nodding "I also had the idea of renting out my stomach as a 'love hotel' in the real world, you know for the people who want to have intercourse but not wake the neighbors" RD cracked up at his own joke

Max laughed, shrugging his shoulders "Hey I say rent it out, it doesn't have to be for erm...sex. Keep in mind I'm still pretty young." He pointed out politely before smiling. "still I'd rent it out just to spend the night in there. But I think the way the light works for you is great. It's not strictly power based and I think it suits your fighting style."

RD nodded "Yeah anyways I'm sure that fight was probably my easiest, only because I realized that I prefer counterattacking to straight-up offenses like my dragon-spirit does, and that buffing seems to just be a no-brainer in my opinion"

Nodding, Max decided to add his own thoughts. "I think...I'm still discovering mine. I had an idea last night that I didn't get to impliment until just this morning. It's still in the experimental stage though so not sure if it'll work. Still good work!"

Flare stepped out, meeting them in the hall "Erm Max...don't bother going back into the room. I just caught a glimpse of the next round. let's just say...someone has a sick sense of humor cus it's you and me."

RD's jaw dropped "Aren't these matches supposed to be random? We're in the same group!" RD said in agitation "I mean I KNOW we'd have to face each other eventually but now seems too soon it's like someone was sure to make sure less of us were in the fights!" RD said nodding as he thought this too sudden to be a coincidence.

Max cringed, he didn't like the idea of going up against Flare, and especially not in THIS condition "I'll give you one guess. I bet you Myotismon has something to do with it." Flare shrugged his shoulders, sighing "We'll just have to go through with it. Erm...Why don't you go try to find Smithy among the crowd. Just be careful, after that last match I think your popularity shot up by the fans."

RD winced "Yeah alright ugh so myotismon didn't go the conventional route he went after the Match Coordinator instead." RD sighed, not liking this one bit.

Max nodded "Smithy would know who was up to it." Flare grabbed Max by the arm and started helping him along the hall "Check on his progress with Jesse's armor too. If anything you won't have to have him mixed up in your data for long." Max blinked, confused by the comment but he let it slide.

Doru was left there, staring up at RD with a nervous smile "Erm...hello there! uhm...So...Nice match?" He asked nervously.

RD blinked as they walked off "And who in King Drasil's name are you?!?" He asked, staring down at the beast digimon with a look of confusion.


Meanwhile back in the northern region, Kiya, Scav and Lyle returned to the shore, ready to set sail off to the east. "I've heard of a growth spurt but this is rediculous! Change back to an Agumon!" Lyle cried out, trying to point out that their ship wasn't designed for heavy loads like a large T-rex boarding.

"Awww...but...but...I like it!" Scav tried to argue, but in the end he knew that Lyle was right and immediately reverted back into his smaller Agumon stage, grumbling as this also meant he was the shortest again out of the trio. "Fine...the East is next right? Guess we'll finally see where Blade was born."

Lyle nodded, snatching Scav's digivice right from the get go and stepping onto the ship, immediately getting to setting the coordinates of the Eastern region. It wasn't until he was finished putting in all of the necessary information that the three finally cast off the land. Off on their next adventure. "Let's hope that Lord Azulongmon has more information than Ebonwumon was willing to offer."

Kiya rubbed over his belly, staring out at the North's islands before smiling. "I think Ebonwumon gave us exactly what we needed. It's the light. I think in time, if we manage to aquire a piece of each Sovereign's power then their real message will become clear. Anything they say can be warped, it could be why they aren't saying anything. Instead letting their own power and light guide us to the right conclusion."

"I agree. I can't explain it but even though Baihumon explained their movement towards the Darkness, it felt like he was leaving a big chunk of it out. I say we trust their judgement. So far they've been working to preserve both worlds and I doubt they want all that hard work to go to waste by the Darkness." Scavenger included, laying down on the deck and just staring up at the clouds. "I wonder what Belphemon is up too...all we know is that he's the mastermind behind it, Our digivices can tell us about his biology, but not how his thought processes work."

Lyle sighed, letting the ship's autopilot take over for him as he laid down beside Scav. "Belphemon is the demon lord of sloth...He doesn't usually take action like this. But after rebuilding those stingmon huts I'm exhausted...Wake me if something bad happens." Lyle let out a huge yawn, his tongue hanging out of his mouth as he did so before pulling it back in and shutting his eyes.

Kiya and Scav waited until the Lion digimon fell asleep, before they both burst into laughter. It was Scavenger that broke the laughter as he relaxed. "Sorry for getting you involved in all of this. It's not as action packed as Max's group probably is."

"Hey, I'm enjoying myself. This world is strange, but the locals are fun to talk to and get to know. It's a world where almost everyone is a monster but nobody is judged. One could only wish the real world was like that. And I don't want to see either destroyed." Kiya held a claw up in a thumbs up sign. "Besides we're friends, no matter what happens I'm sticking by you."

Scavenger smiled up at Kiya, pulling himself up to sit upright. "Same goes for you." He pulled out a pack of cards that just came out of nowhere and set it on the deck. "We'll be sailing for a while. How about we continue where we left off at Flare's manor. Our pokemon battle was interrupted but now we can play in peace."

Kiya walked over, opposite of Scavenger and materialized his own deck of cards out of his digivice and set it down. "Sure thing, we don't have anything better to do."

(To be continued)